Digital Commons Network^™

Online Civic Engagements Among College Students: Exploring Well-Being, Tanupreet Suri

Individual, Family, and Community Education ETDs

Ways in which college students use social media for civic engagements and how that usage interplays with their identity development and general well-being have been explored in this study. Civic engagement among college students is imperative to their growth and development. Additionally, social networking sites (SNS) have a great potential for fostering a sense of community and enhancing wellbeing. Thus, how college students’ online civic engagement and general wellbeing interplay was examined. This study employed an interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) alongside photo elicitation to explore the experiences of college students. Key findings suggest online civic engagements interplays with college students’ …

A Panorama Of Human-Animal Interactions Research: Bibliometric Analysis Of Hai Articles 1982-2018, Jane Kinkus Yatcilla

Libraries Faculty and Staff Scholarship and Research

What can we know about human-animal interactions (HAI) research by looking at information about its research articles, such as publication information, text of abstracts or author keywords, or citation patterns? Bibliometric analysis, the quantification of information about published articles, is a tool we can use to gain a perspective of the status of research in a particular field. In this study, information about four decades of HAI research publications was obtained from the multidisciplinary research database Web of Science Core Collection, and analyzed to look for informative patterns about this body of research using Microsoft Excel and VantagePoint text …

Effect Of Choline Forms And Gut Microbiota Composition On Trimethylamine-N-Oxide Response In Healthy Men, Clara E. Cho, Niklas D. J. Aardema, Madison L. Bunnell, Deanna P. Larson, Sheryl Aguilar, Janet R. Bergeson, Olga V. Malysheva, Marie A. Caudill, Machael Lefevre

Nutrition, Dietetics, and Food Sciences Faculty Publications

Background: Trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO), a choline-derived gut microbiota-dependent metabolite, is a newly recognized risk marker for cardiovascular disease. We sought to determine: (1) TMAO response to meals containing free versus lipid-soluble choline and (2) effects of gut microbiome on TMAO response. Methods: In a randomized, controlled, double-blinded, crossover study, healthy men (n = 37) were provided meals containing 600 mg choline either as choline bitartrate or phosphatidylcholine, or no choline control. Results: Choline bitartrate yielded three-times greater plasma TMAO AUC (p = 0.01) and 2.5-times greater urinary TMAO change from baseline (p = 0.01) compared to no choline and phosphatidylcholine. Gut …

Examining Patterns Of Executive Functioning Across Dimensions Of Psychopathology, Scott Roye

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Executive functioning is a multifaceted collection of higher-order cognitive processes used to perform goal-oriented tasks. Although this construct is heavily researched, a major issue regarding the current literature stems from the influence of task impurity, which interferes with how executive functioning performance is interpreted. Additionally, while executive functioning has been previously explored in clinical populations, less work has evaluated this topic measuring dimensional psychopathology. The present study sought to examine the role of executive functioning, as it relates to dimensional psychopathology. Data was analyzed from a total of 731 individuals between the age of 18-59 years who took part in …

Seasonal Nitrogen Remobilization And The Role Of Auxin Transport In Poplar Trees, Gen Li, Rongshoung Lin, Chioma Egekwu, Joshua Blakeslee, Jinshan Lin, Emily Pettengill, Angus S Murphy, Wendy A Peer, Nazrul Islam, Benjamin A Babst, Fei Gao, Sergey Komarov, Yuan-Chuan Tai, Gary D Coleman

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Seasonal nitrogen (N) cycling in Populus, involves bark storage proteins (BSPs) that accumulate in bark phloem parenchyma in the autumn and decline when shoot growth resumes in the spring. Little is known about the contribution of BSPs to growth or the signals regulating N remobilization from BSPs. Knockdown of BSP accumulation via RNAi and N sink manipulations were used to understand how BSP storage influences shoot growth. Reduced accumulation of BSPs delayed bud break and reduced shoot growth following dormancy. Further, 13N tracer studies also showed that BSP accumulation is an important factor in N partitioning from senescing leaves to …

Spatial‐Temporal Landscape Dynamics In The Hulunbeir Forest‐Steppe Ecotone, Licheng Liu, Shihai Lu

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

No abstract provided.

Compound System And Benefit Analysis About Legumes Forage Intercrop With Prickly Ash In Linxia, Yanqiong Zeng, Shiming Yang

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

No abstract provided.

Population Structure On Tubers Of Scirpus Planiculmisin Alkali‐Lake Habitat In The Songnen Plains Of China, Xun Tian, Yunfei Yang

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

No abstract provided.

Partnering To Build Responsive Learning Communities That Support Students In Crisis, Kate Weiler, Adam Williamson

Teaching and Learning Together in Higher Education

No abstract provided.

Naming And Navigating Troubling Transitions: Pedagogical Partnership During The Pandemic, Alison Cook-Sather, Nandeeta Bala

Teaching and Learning Together in Higher Education

No abstract provided.

Tactviz: A Vmd Plugin For Tactile Visualization Of Protein Structures, Olivia R. Shaw, Jodi A. Hadden-Perilla

Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

Scientific disciplines spanning biology, biochemistry, and biophysics involve the study of proteins and their functions. Visualization of protein structures represents a barrier to education and research in these disciplines for students who are blind or visually impaired. Here, we present a software plugin for readily producing variable-height tactile graphics of proteins using the free biomolecular visualization software Visual Molecular Dynamics (VMD) and protein structure data that is publicly available through the Protein Data Bank. Our method also supports interactive tactile visualization of proteins with VMD on electronic refreshable tactile display devices. Employing our method in an academic laboratory has enabled …

Astrodance: Engaging Deaf And Hard-Of-Hearing Students In Astrophysics Via Multimedia Performances, Jason Nordhaus, Manuela Campanelli, Joe Bochner, Thomas Warfield, Hans-Peter Bischof, Jake Noel-Storr

Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

The dynamics of gravitating astrophysical systems such as black holes and neutron stars are fascinatingly complex, offer some of nature's most spectacular phenomena, and capture the public's imagination in ways that few subjects can. Here, we describe AstroDance, a multi-media project to engage deaf and hard-of-hearing (DHH) students in astronomy and gravitational physics. AstroDance incorporates multiple means of representation of scientific concepts and was performed primarily for secondary and post-secondary audiences at ~20 venues in the northeastern US prior to the historic first detection of gravitational waves. As part of the AstroDance project, we surveyed ~1000 audience members roughly split …

Supplemental Online Learning Tools (Solts) To Support Deaf And Hard Of Hearing Students In Introductory Statistics Courses, Jacqueline Mcclive, Keith Mousley, Carol E. Marchetti, David Simkins, Gary Blatto-Vallee, Jane Jackson, Sue Foster

Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

Research in most Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines uses statistical methods. Thus as students develop into research scientists, introductory statistics serves as a gateway course. If students struggle to incorporate statistics into their knowledge base, they may be effectively kept from careers that rely on statistics. DHH students learn differently and thus may lag behind their hearing counterparts in mainstream classrooms. In part, a gap in language knowledge can impede the understanding of statistics topics. What is a variable? What does it mean to have a distribution? With sign language interpreters and other support services, many mainstream instructors …

Critical Media, Information, And Digital Literacy: Increasing Understanding Of Machine Learning Through An Interdisciplinary Undergraduate Course, Barbara R. Burke, Elena Machkasova

Irish Communication Review

Widespread use of Artificial Intelligence in all areas of today’s society creates a unique problem: algorithms used in decision-making are generally not understandable to those without a background in data science. Thus, those who use out-of-the-box Machine Learning (ML) approaches in their work and those affected by these approaches are often not in a position to analyze their outcomes and applicability.

Our paper describes and evaluates our undergraduate course at the University of Minnesota Morris, which fosters understanding of the main ideas behind ML. With Communication, Media & Rhetoric and Computer Science faculty expertise, students from a variety of majors, …

"Fall 2020 Procedures And Considerations For 2020-21 Academic Year Planning, Supplemental: Five Questions", Csusb

Separated from the Pack: The CSUSB/COVID-19 Digital Collection

This report addresses five supplemental questions to the "Fall 2020 Procedures and Considerations for 2020-21 Academic Year Planning" report.

Environmental Cues And Fungi Morphology, Paige Camp, Kirsten Treptow, Hailey Goodwin, Maya Leon, Anita Coleman, Michael Watters, Patrice Bouyer, Julie Peller

Summer Interdisciplinary Research Symposium

Candida albicans, a symbiotic yeast in the human gut, and Neurospora crassa, a filamentous bread mold, are distinct in habitat, morphology, and behavior. However, both fungi are equally susceptible to the ongoing flow of stimuli present within the environment. The objective of our research is to understand how different fungi respond to specific cues found within or outside their natural environment. Four stimuli were tested on C. albicans: estradiol (E2), media morphology, and irradiated and non-radiated plastic microfibers. Three stimuli were tested on N. crassa: plastic non-radiated microfibers, simulated microgravity, and cold shock. C. albicans was …

The Importance Of Cycle Threshold Values In The Evaluation Of Patients With Persistent Positive Pcr For Sars-Cov-2: Case Study And Brief Review, Jose Bordon, Donghoon Chung, Priya Krishnan, Ruth Carrico, Julio A. Ramirez

The University of Louisville Journal of Respiratory Infections

Some patients recover from COVID-19, but their reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for SARS-CoV-2 remains persistently positive. In the evaluation of these patients, it is important to define the cycle threshold (Ct) value of the RT-PCR test. This article will present a case study, address relevant findings and interpretation of the RT-PCR test, and explain the use of Ct values in defining when a healthcare worker may return to work. Our current approach is to allow health care workers with persistently positive RT-PCR to return to work if the Ct value is greater than 35.

Epidemiological Study Of Trichosporon Asahii Infections Over The Past 23 Years, Haitao Li, Meihong Guo, Congmin Wang, Yibo Li, Anne Marie Fernandez, Thomas N Ferraro, Rongya Yang, Yong Chen

College of Science & Mathematics Departmental Research

Trichosporon is a yeast-like basidiomycete, a conditional pathogenic fungus that is rare in the clinic but often causes fatal infections in immunocompromised individuals. Trichosporon asahii is the most common pathogenic fungus in this genus and the occurrence of infections has dramatically increased in recent years. Here, we report a systematic literature review detailing 140 cases of T. asahii infection reported during the past 23 years. Statistical analysis shows that T. asahii infections were most frequently reported within immunodeficient or immunocompromised patients commonly with blood diseases. Antibiotic use, invasive medical equipment and chemotherapy were the leading risk factors for acquiring infection. …

The Nitrogen Budget Of Laboratory-Simulated Western Us Wildfires During The Firex 2016 Fire Lab Study, James M. Roberts, Chelsea E. Stockwell, Robert J. Yokelson, Joost De Gouw, Yong Liu, Vanessa Selimovic, Abigail R. Koss, Kanako Sekimoto, Matthew M. Coggon, Bin Yuan, Kyle J. Zarzana, Steven S. Brown, Cristina Santin, Stefan H. Doerr, Carsten Warneke

Chemistry and Biochemistry Faculty Publications

Reactive nitrogen (Nr, defined as all nitrogencontaining compounds except for N2 and N2O) is one of the most important classes of compounds emitted from wildfire, as Nr impacts both atmospheric oxidation processes and particle formation chemistry. In addition, several Nr compounds can contribute to health impacts from wildfires. Understanding the impacts of wildfire on the atmosphere requires a thorough description of Nr emissions. Total reactive nitrogen was measured by catalytic conversion to NO and detection by NO-O3 chemiluminescence together with individual Nr species during a series of laboratory fires of fuels characteristic of western US wildfires, conducted as part of …

Protein And Polysaccharide-Based Fiber Materials Generated From Ionic Liquids: A Review., Christopher R Gough, Ashley Rivera-Galletti, Darrel A Cowan, David Salas-De La Cruz, Xiao Hu

College of Science & Mathematics Departmental Research

Natural biomacromolecules such as structural proteins and polysaccharides are composed of the basic building blocks of life: amino acids and carbohydrates. Understanding their molecular structure, self-assembly and interaction in solvents such as ionic liquids (ILs) is critical for unleashing a flora of new materials, revolutionizing the way we fabricate multi-structural and multi-functional systems with tunable physicochemical properties. Ionic liquids are superior to organic solvents because they do not produce unwanted by-products and are considered green substitutes because of their reusability. In addition, they will significantly improve the miscibility of biopolymers with other materials while maintaining the mechanical properties of the …

Design And Synthesis Of Antifungal Drugs, Noah Moriarty, Jessica Villegas, Jeffrey Pruet

Summer Interdisciplinary Research Symposium

Fungal infections occur when fungus invades the tissue, which can grow and affect the whole body if left untreated. The current antifungal drugs on the market often come with unwanted side effects, and drug resistance will always be a problem. This leads to the necessity for new pathways for inhibiting fungal infections. To this end, we are developing a library of new antifungal agents. An enzyme critical for life, methionine synthase, has a key difference between fungi and humans that can be exploited. An inhibitory molecule can be made to selectively target fungal methionine synthase based on this difference. Utilizing …

Estimation Of Population Parameters Using Sample Extremes From Nonconstant Sample Sizes, Alexander Bruno

Summer Interdisciplinary Research Symposium

We examine the accuracy and precision of parameter estimates for both the normal and exponential distribution when using only a collection of sample extremes. That is, we consider a collection of m random variables, where each of the m random variables is either the maximum or minimum of a sample of n_j independent, identically distributed random variables drawn from a normal or exponential distribution with unknown parameters. Previous work by Capaldi and Kolba (2019) derived estimators for the population parameters assuming the n_j sample sizes are constant. Since sample sizes are often not constant in applications, we utilize …

Key Operational And Institutional Factors For Improving Food Safety: A Case Study From Chile, Haiyan Lu, Sachin Kumar Mangla, Je Fernandez, Sebastian Elgueta, Guoqing Zhao, Shaofeng Liu, Lise Hunter

Plymouth Business School

No abstract provided.

Assessment Of Children As Connected With And Contributing To Their World In Early Childhood Education And Care: Literature Review, Kate Noble, Jen Jackson, Pru Mitchell

Early Childhood Education

This literature review unpacks the concept of connection and contribution from the Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework (VEYLDF), which includes developing a sense of belonging to groups and communities, and an understanding of the reciprocal rights and responsibilities necessary for active civic participation; responding to diversity with respect; becoming aware of fairness; and becoming socially responsible and showing respect for the environment.

Characterization And Enzyme Engineering Of A Hyperthermophilic Laccase Toward Improving Its Activity In Ionic Liquid, Joseph Craig Stevens, David W. Rodgers, Claire Dumon, Jian Shi

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

Ionic liquids (ILs) are organic salts molten at room temperature that can be used for a wide variety of applications. Many ILs, such as 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate ([C₂C₁Im][OAc]), have been shown to remove a significant fraction of the complex biopolymer lignin from biomass during pretreatment. Valorizing lignin via biological pathways (e.g., enzymes) holds promise but is limited by the low biocompatibility of many ILs used for pretreatment. The discovery of thermostable enzymes and the application of enzyme engineering techniques have yielded biocatalysts capable of withstanding high concentrations of ILs. Converting lignin from a waste product to value-added …

Assessing The Environmental Impacts Of Urbanization In Siddharthanagar, Nepal, Bishal Raj Khanal

Economics ETDs

Rapid and haphazard infrastructural expansion often contributes to large negative externalities in cities. Environmental problems like air pollution and degradation of quality-of-life elements in an urban settlement are attributed to urban sprawl. Evidence based planning tools need to be developed which can help manage the rapid urbanization that is taking place in the developing world. In this context, we examine the relationship between health outcomes and the different spatial- temporal aspects of an urban-built environment in Siddharthanagar Metropolitan City which is a major settlement in southwestern Nepal. We attempt to identify the aspects of built environment which are closely associated …

Social Factors That Exacerbate Features Of Borderline Personality Disorder In Young Adult Women Between 25 And 35 Years Of Age Living In The Commonwealth Of Puerto Rico, Erika M. Carrasquillo

Dissertations

The high prevalence of BPD hospitalizations, unsuccessful treatments, poor social awareness, suicide attempts and complete suicides were motivating forces for this research study. The aim was to uncover pertinent social factors that exacerbate BPD in the lives of individuals with this affliction and therefore find ways to combat this disease. Since most of the individuals affected by this disease are female, the present research was focused on uncovering factors that increased the likelihood of BPD factors in women between the ages of 25-35 years. Borderline personality disorder is often viewed as difficult to treat. However, recent research shows that BPD …

Application Of Enzymes In Regioselective And Stereoselective Organic Reactions, Ruipu Mu, Zhaoshuai Wang, Max C. Wamsley, Colbee N. Duke, Payton H. Lii, Sarah E. Epley, London C. Todd, Patty J. Roberts

Pharmaceutical Sciences Faculty Publications

Nowadays, biocatalysts have received much more attention in chemistry regarding their potential to enable high efficiency, high yield, and eco-friendly processes for a myriad of applications. Nature’s vast repository of catalysts has inspired synthetic chemists. Furthermore, the revolutionary technologies in bioengineering have provided the fast discovery and evolution of enzymes that empower chemical synthesis. This article attempts to deliver a comprehensive overview of the last two decades of investigation into enzymatic reactions and highlights the effective performance progress of bio-enzymes exploited in organic synthesis. Based on the types of enzymatic reactions and enzyme commission (E.C.) numbers, the enzymes discussed in …

The Lives, Lore, And Literature Of Cranes: A Catechism For Crane Lovers, Paul A. Johnsgard, Thomas D. Mangelsen

Zea E-Books Collection

This book provides basic information on cranes that should be of interest and importance to crane-loving birders (“craniacs”) as well as to ornithologists and wildlife managers. Primary consideration is given to the sandhill and whooping cranes, but all 13 of the Old World cranes are also discussed. Special consideration is given to the relative abundance and conservation status of all of the world’s species, of which nearly half are declining and a few are in real danger of long-term survival. More than 80 refuges and preserves in the United States and Canada, where the best chances of seeing cranes in …

Impacts Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Black Americans With Diabetes, Ted Studt

Biology Summer Fellows

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted all Americans in varying ways, but it has hit the American Black population particularly hard. It also impacts immunocompromised individuals, especially those with conditions that involve damage to or hindering of the cardiovascular or respiratory systems. I found myself asking several questions – how much did this affect individuals who suffer from such conditions, especially those who are Black Americans; how much does systemic racism play in the current pandemic; what could be done about all this; and so on. Since I myself have lived with type I diabetes for almost two decades at the …